Experimental Study and Numerical Analysis of the Bending Performance of Helical Stacked Cable Conductor

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract A novel helical stacked cable (HSC) conductor structure is proposed, designed to enhance bending performance while maintaining a high critical current (Ic). By stacking superconducting tapes into a helical configuration and reserving a clearance between the stacks, stress concentration during bending can be effectively reduced. To verify the feasibility of this cable structure, three superconducting prototype cables were fabricated. They were tested in both straight and bent configurations. The jacket of the conductor fractured when the bending radius reached 100 mm. However, the Ic showed almost no degradation above the critical bending radius. Concurrently, a threedimensional (3D) electromagnetic model was used to analyze the cable's magnetic flux density distribution and load factor, while a 3D mechanical model simulated the critical current density degradation behavior under pure bending loads. The simulation results showed good agreement with experimental data. Finally, the effects of the friction factor, outer jacket structure and jacket material on bending performance were further analyzed. The results indicate that the HSC structure can effectively mitigate critical current degradation at a small bending radius, highlighting its potential for application in compact superconducting magnets.